Merry Go
The Merry Go (メリー・ゴー,Merī Gō-gō) is the first ship of the Straw Hat Pirates that they used as their main mode of transportation through the East Blue all the way to Water 7 where it was replaced by the Sunny Go. It is a caravel class ship designed by Merry and given by one of Usopp's old friends, Kaya to the Straw Hats as a reward for saving her. Over time, the ship came to be loved by the crew as a home and as a friend, so much so that it literally took on a life of its own and became just as much a part of the crew as any of them. Unfortunately, the Merry Go took an inordinate amount of damage during its "lifetime", being blown up, impaled, and even sliced up multiple times. Eventually, the Merry Go could no longer continue and received a Viking funeral. Ship Design and Appearance :Voice Actor: Not Known (English), Houko Kuwashima (Japanese) The Merry Go has a jib and a central steer rudder. The ship's armaments consisted of four cannons, one in the bow pointing forward, one in the stern, and two pointing to either side. They were rarely used, as the Straw Hat Pirates usually prefered to run away or engage in hand to hand combat. After the Arlong Arc, the Merry Go gained three tangerine trees from Bell-mère's grove, a memento of Nami's home. As the series continued on, the ship received more and more damage and gained several metal patches to hold it together at places that could not be nailed back together, like Merry's figurehead and the mast, which was torn off several times. In the Skypiea Arc, the body of the ship had wings and the sheep figurehead was dressed as a chicken. In volume 11 of the manga, Oda presented various schematics and explanations of each part of the ship. These included everything from Merry's figurehead to its kitchen. Meeting Room, Lounge, and Helm This is the single most important room in the entire ship. It serves as the meeting room, lounge, and helm for the entire crew. Here the crew can do a number of things. Since the kitchen is located here, they can enjoy a meal here made by Sanji. And because of its comfortable atmosphere, it is the perfect place where the crew can also hold meetings here and discuss what to do next. The device for steering the ship is also located here. However, unlike regular ships that commonly have a steering wheel, the Merry Go does not have one. Instead it uses a "steering pole" with a sheep's head like the one used for the ship's figurehead. By tilting the pole left or right, the rudder at the stern will move in that direction. Men's Room The men's room of the Going Merry is located below the deck of the ship right below the mast. It is quite large and untidy. This room is normally crowded due to the fact it is shared by Luffy, Zolo, Usopp, Chopper and Sanji to sleep. It is accessed through a hatch next to the mast. There are a total of five hammocks located here to sleep on. There is an emergency exit that connects to the women's room in case something should happen. Storage Room and Cannon Deck(aft) A storage room and a cannon deck are located under the lounge of the Merry Go. This is where the crew keeps all their cargo such as beer barrels, water barrels, rations, and treasure boxes in storage. Any treasure that Nami cannot keep in the women's quarters is kept here as well. The room also houses two cannons facing each side of the ship. The bathroom and the women's quarters can be accessed from here. Some towels can be found next to the bathroom's entrance for when one finishes taking a bath. The hatch going down to the women's quarters has a latch to keep out prying eyes. The steering shaft that is used to steer the ship can also be seen located above this room. Women's Room The women's room of the Merry Go is located below deck under the storage and cannon deck. This is where Nami and Robin usually sleep. It was originally designed by Merry for Kaya's use and thus its design reflects for whom it was originally meant. The room is accessed through a hatch that leads to the room above. This hatch has a lock for obvious reasons. There is an emergency exit that connects to the men's room located here in case something happens. This hatch, however, is not normally used and is usually locked. After the Arlong Arc, a bar was added here by a carpenter from Cocoyashi, Teru, from which people can drink. Cannon Deck(fore) and Anchor Room A cannon deck can be found below the front deck of the Merry Go. This also serves mainly as the room where the anchor is stored. Various weapons such as swords can be stored here. Giant oars and lifepreservers can also be found here and can be used when called for. The cannon found here was used notably to fire at Laboon before the Merry Go rammed into him and broke its figurehead. Bathroom The bathroom of the Merry Go is located below deck next to where the steering fin of the ship is located. It is accessed through a door leading to the storage room. This same door has curtains for privacy. A shower, a bathtub, a sink, and a toilet can be found here. The water used here is drawn up by a special machine located underneath the stairs on the top deck. There used to be two of these machines but Luffy broke one. Care must be taken here after taking showers and such here. After cleaning themselves, the crew must make sure to thoroughly clean the place up with a rubber wiper found here in order to prevent the ship from being weakened by moisture. Luffy's Favorite Seat The figurehead of the Merry Go is a sheep. This is where Luffy likes to sit most of the time while sailing. Why he likes to sit there with his inability to swim is a complete mystery. When this was temporarily broken upon impact with Laboon, Luffy expressed how mad he was and attacked the whale. The figurehead is also found on top of the ship's "steering pole" in the main room. Its design is also used for the figurehead of the Mini Merry II. Throughout the series, the figurehead would sometimes show signs of expressions like a regular person. These have ranged from the comical to the sad. Nami's Tangerine Trees After the Arlong arc, three orange trees from Bellemere's grove were added to the top of the Merry Go. The fruits they bear are satsumas (Citrus unshui), but are usually translated as tangerine or oranges. Nami treats them with care, as they are mementos of Bellemere. They provide the crew with vitamin c as well as decor for the ship. Aside from Nami taking care of them, Sanji also protects these three trees from those who might otherwise harm them or steal the fruit (e.g. Luffy). After Luffy and Usopp's battle in Water 7, these trees were moved to the hotel room where the Straw Hats were. They were luckily found by the Galley-La shipwrights and moved to a safer location before the Aqua Lagunahit. They, along with the rest of the Straw Hats' belongings, now reside on the Sunny Go. History The Merry Go was conceptualized by Merry several years before the start of the storyline. Synopsis East Blue Voyage Category:Ships Category:Pirate Ships Category:Destroyed Ships